In Guatemala, a state of emergency was declared during the pandemic. Countless families, who were already living at the poverty line before the crisis, found themselves unable to make ends meet alone. They eventually signaled their unbearable hunger and urgent need by displaying a white flag. Therefore, with the help of donations and a team of local volunteers, we delivered food packages to families in need. We relied entirely on the assessment of locals who could best gauge the level of need.

The packages included 2.5 kg of cornmeal, 2 kg of rice, 2 kg of beans, salt, sugar, oil, pasta, toilet paper, matches, soap, and nutritious drink powder. This ration was sufficient for a family of six for about a week and cost approximately CHF 10.

Friends and acquaintances in Guatemala helped with shopping, packing, and delivery. They then organized screenings in the respective locations to identify families facing particularly precarious situations due to unemployment, large numbers of children, single parenthood, illness, etc. The prepared bags were then delivered to the selected locations via pickup trucks as agreed upon.

Each bag was personally handed over by the team of volunteers, allowing them to gain firsthand insight into the circumstances and living conditions on the ground. Everything was done on a voluntary basis, and the local helpers received only a small amount of money for fuel, regularly receiving one of the food packages as a token of gratitude.